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Flasher

English translation: You'll have your camera in a flash!

GLOSSARY ENTRY (DERIVED FROM QUESTION BELOW)
French term or phrase:Flasher
English translation:You'll have your camera in a flash!
Entered by: TesCor -

01:27 Jun 18, 2004
French to English translations [PRO]
Marketing - Retail
French term or phrase: Flasher
Vous allez flasher sur votre cadeau...Clic clas, il est pour vous !

A free camera for customers with more than 1,000 points. There's obviously a play on words here. I would have liked to do the same in English, but I can't seem to come up with something with "to flash" with the same connotation. What about the clic clac? Any thoughts?
TesCor -
Canada
Local time: 23:29
You'll have your camera in a flash!
Explanation:
How about that? I think the "clic clac" is saying that you'll get it really quickly or just like that, so "in a flash" covers the same idea while also dealing with the "flasher" problem.

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Note added at 23 mins (2004-06-18 01:51:12 GMT)
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This is one case where I don\'t think you have to translate absolutely literally. If you want to get a pun that works in English, you basically have to rewrite it the way that Julie and I have done. If you do want to be more literal, maybe try Sarah\'s suggestion, which ditches the \"flash\" pun altogether but still has quite a nice substitute in \"dazzle\", which can mean to blind (e.g. with a flash) as well as greatly impress.
Selected response from:

Rowan Morrell
New Zealand
Local time: 15:29
Grading comment
Thank you everyone.....so many great ideas. I decided to go with Rowan's because of the clic clac. You'll have your camera in a flash....click, click and it's yours.
4 KudoZ points were awarded for this answer



Summary of answers provided
4 +5Focus on your gift and get it in a flash!
Julie Roy
4 +4t he gift will dazzle you!
sarahl (X)
4 +1You'll have your camera in a flash!
Rowan Morrell
4A flash little gift....just for you
Amanda Brown
4your gift in the blink of a flash! (or an eye!)
Jeff Steffin


Discussion entries: 5





  

Answers


10 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +4
t he gift will dazzle you!


Explanation:
flasher is outdated French slang, the meaning is close to love at first sight or irresistible attraction.

sarahl (X)
Local time: 20:29
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Gayle Wallimann: It's not outdated at all, it's very much in use today by teenagers.
24 mins
  -> thanks, Gayle, Parisian teen slang may be different, I used the word in MY teens ! :D
agree  Ethele Salem Sperling
1 hr
  -> merci Ethele !
agree  Michel A.: Yes but flasher is not outdated (my kids use this word quite often for clothe, shoes, or films) :-)
4 hrs
  -> well, my own kid laughs at me whenever I use it... thanks Michel!
agree  Vicky Papaprodromou
4 hrs
  -> efxaristo!
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4 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +1
You'll have your camera in a flash!


Explanation:
How about that? I think the "clic clac" is saying that you'll get it really quickly or just like that, so "in a flash" covers the same idea while also dealing with the "flasher" problem.

--------------------------------------------------
Note added at 23 mins (2004-06-18 01:51:12 GMT)
--------------------------------------------------

This is one case where I don\'t think you have to translate absolutely literally. If you want to get a pun that works in English, you basically have to rewrite it the way that Julie and I have done. If you do want to be more literal, maybe try Sarah\'s suggestion, which ditches the \"flash\" pun altogether but still has quite a nice substitute in \"dazzle\", which can mean to blind (e.g. with a flash) as well as greatly impress.

Rowan Morrell
New Zealand
Local time: 15:29
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
PRO pts in category: 4
Grading comment
Thank you everyone.....so many great ideas. I decided to go with Rowan's because of the clic clac. You'll have your camera in a flash....click, click and it's yours.

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  Michel A.: sounds great too
4 hrs
  -> Thanks Michel.
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46 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
A flash little gift....just for you


Explanation:
or a snappy little gift!
Agree with Rowan, don't get hung up on the literal bit, you want it to sound "snappy" in English, not laboured. Good luck!

Amanda Brown
New Zealand
Local time: 14:29
Native speaker of: Native in EnglishEnglish
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3 hrs   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5
your gift in the blink of a flash! (or an eye!)


Explanation:
try it o for size

Jeff Steffin
Local time: 20:29
Native speaker of: English
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14 mins   confidence: Answerer confidence 4/5Answerer confidence 4/5 peer agreement (net): +5
Focus on your gift and get it in a flash!


Explanation:
Focus on your gift and get it in a flash!
You will focus on your gift and get it in a flash!

Here's another play on words!

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Note added at 21 mins (2004-06-18 01:49:22 GMT)
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Zoom on your gift and get it in a flash!

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Note added at 24 mins (2004-06-18 01:51:39 GMT)
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You may not be anble to translate the \"crazy\" of \"flasher\", but \"focus/zoom\" is pretty good; cela permet de conserver le concept original accrocheur (marketing) et de jouer sur les mots en même temps.

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Note added at 24 mins (2004-06-18 01:52:07 GMT)
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\"able\" (not \"anble\")

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Note added at 3 hrs 12 mins (2004-06-18 04:39:29 GMT)
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Yes, to be exact:

\"Zoom IN on your gift and get it in a flash!\"
(my favorite)

Julie Roy
Canada
Local time: 23:29
Works in field
Native speaker of: Native in FrenchFrench, Native in EnglishEnglish

Peer comments on this answer (and responses from the answerer)
agree  sarahl (X): zoom is brilliant! (no pun intended)
25 mins
  -> Thank you; this is a very fun game!
agree  Margaux: I prefer zoom to focus, it's a very creative translation. Bravo!
1 hr
  -> Thank you :-)
agree  Jeff Steffin
2 hrs
  -> Merci :-)
agree  Michel A.: this one is also a good one, very creative indeed :-)
4 hrs
agree  Vicky Papaprodromou
4 hrs
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